Daily Christian Journey

Understanding and Engaging with Our Emotions

Emotions play a vital role in our lives, influencing our thoughts, actions, and relationships. However, navigating the complexities of our emotions can be challenging. The Bible offers a balanced approach to dealing with emotions, encouraging us to engage with them in a deliberate and thoughtful manner.

The Dangers of Extremes

Two common pitfalls in dealing with emotions are hyper-emotionalism and stoicism. Hyper-emotionalism prioritizes feelings above all else, while stoicism seeks to suppress or deny emotions altogether. Both extremes can be detrimental to our well-being and relationships.

A Biblical Approach to Emotions

The Bible advocates for a middle road, encouraging us to acknowledge and explore our emotions. This approach involves:

1. Awareness: Recognizing and naming our emotions, rather than ignoring or suppressing them.
2. Examination: Exploring the underlying causes and motivations behind our emotions.
3. Evaluation: Assessing whether our emotions are aligned with God’s values and principles.
4. Action: Taking steps to nurture positive emotions and address negative ones.

Engaging with Our Emotions

To effectively engage with our emotions, we must:

• Identify our emotions and their underlying causes
• Examine our emotions in light of God’s Word
• Evaluate our emotions and take responsibility for our actions
• Act on our emotions, seeking to align them with God’s will

From Theory to Practice

Let’s consider an example. Suppose a husband feels angry when his wife breaks the lawn mower. Rather than lashing out or suppressing his emotions, he takes a step back to:

• Identify his anger and its underlying cause (e.g., frustration with the inconvenience)
• Examine his anger in light of God’s Word (e.g., recognizing that his reaction is not justified)
• Evaluate his anger and take responsibility for his actions (e.g., apologizing to his wife)
• Act on his emotions, seeking to align them with God’s will (e.g., expressing gratitude for his wife’s efforts)

Conclusion

Engaging with our emotions in a biblical way requires effort and intentionality. By following the steps outlined above, we can develop a deeper understanding of our emotions and learn to respond to them in a way that honors God. Remember, the goal is not to change our emotions themselves, but to let our evaluation of them drive us to act in ways that will have a positive impact on our hearts and relationships.